Man accused of threatening children at Portland elementary school

PORTLAND, Maine — A Portland man is facing multiple charges after making threats to youths at an elementary school Wednesday, according to police.

Derek Weeks, 32, is facing seven counts of criminal threatening after an incident at the playground of the Howard C. Reiche Community School, Portland police Cmdr. Gary Rogers said in a press release.

Officers were sent to the school on Brackett Street at 3 p.m. after it was reported that students ranging from third to fifth grade were being threatened by Weeks, Rogers said. The students were participating in an after-school program.

Weeks kept making threatening and derogatory marks to the students in reference to their race while making threats to shoot them, according to Rogers. Weeks also replicated a firearm with his hand, but no weapons were displayed or located.

Weeks was placed under arrest and booked into the Cumberland County Jail, where he remained Thursday on $25,000 cash bail, Rogers said.